


it's funny how this thing works, huh?

by ohshanksno



Category: One Piece
Genre: Character Study, F/M, but not hard enough, crocus is embarrassed for roger, he tries very hard, it's a story to tell all their kids one day, just them meeting up, maybe falling in love with a fuckin MERMAID roger, roger is a mess, rouge is just going along with the flow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-07 18:04:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13440264
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohshanksno/pseuds/ohshanksno
Summary: She was unnoticeable. She was a star, hidden with the rest in the vast galaxies of people. She never pushed herself out in the open, or made herself to be a figure of importance. In a way, she was a nobody, a hidden treasure waiting to be found.And at first, Roger never noticed exactly how much of a rarity she was. She was an angel that just needed a push in the right direction, a purpose in life, and she would glow brighter than the rest.Roger loved her deeply enough to be the shining light in her life.





	it's funny how this thing works, huh?

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, welcome to my Rouge x Roger hell. You can thank my dear friend for stroking the fire of this OTP, and now that it's set half the house on fire, might as well add more gasoline, eh? And, as always, it gives me excuses to write about Mama Rouge bc there isn't enough of her anywhere out here in this world.

The first place the Roger Pirates stop is at an unpopular island known as Sandy Falls. A spring island that was mostly popular for flowers growing on steep hills and grassy fields, and bright red turtles washing up on the island’s shores that meow and chirp when picked up.

The crew had stopped by to take a long earned break, because sailing and running from Marines--Garp, especially--took more of a toll on their bodies than they thought.

Once the anchor was dropped, Shanks and Buggy were the first to jump off the ship and run through the grass fields, laughing like children, despite how Buggy screamed at him to slow down so he can catch up.

“Ah, Cap’n.” Roger turns to face Crocus, who rubs at his chin absentmindedly. “Are you going to run off like a child, too?”

A snort escapes the captain, and he reaches up to twirl his moustache in a villainous way. “Well, I’m not a child, but it doesn’t hurt to act like one sometimes, Crocus.”

The doctor stares at him for a long moment. “I was joking.”

“Oh, were you?” A voice calls from behind, and both of them turn around to see Rayleigh, who shrugs off his jacket and smirks. “I was just about to strip naked and run off into a sunset. Would you like to join me?”

Roger cackles, eyes crinkling while Crocus makes a disgusted face. “Unless it brings me free drinks, no one wants to see an old man run around naked.”

Rayleigh shrugs casually, and sticks a hairy leg over the edge. “Well, suit yourself, losers. I’m off.” Rayleigh salutes, and jumps off the ledge into clear blue waters that went up to his knees.

“I think I’ll stay behind, Cap’n. I’d like to catch up on some reading and some log poses, if you will…”

Roger waves a hand behind him, and sticks a leg out onto the ledge. “Whatever your heart desires!” he turns and gives a flashy smile, and goes to jump off.

Halfway through the jump, his pant leg gets trapped in a nail, and a high pitched yell escapes from him when he’s hanging upside down, halfway to tears.

Crocus jumps at the noise, and runs over to the ledge. A few other people from the crew run over, feet stomping against the deck in urgency. “Cap’n!?”

“I-I’m okay--” he wheezes out, and he looks down to see half of his pants ripping from the nail.

There’s a ripping sound, and suddenly, Roger is falling 20 feet into the water. There’s a loud splash, and Crocus is screaming his name.

“Roger?! Oi, Roger?!”

He sits up, clothes drenched and hair a horrible mop of wet strands. His hat floated lazily behind him, and he coughs up water.

“Are you drowning?!” Crocus screams from above.

His nose wrinkles in annoyance at the salty taste in his mouth, and he hears some of the crewmates laughing.

“No.” he moves his hair away from his eyes, and looks up to see--

The sky.

A woman wearing sky blue.

He can feel his breath being pulled out of him as he actually looks at her. Tall, strawberry blonde hair with curls that seemed to take years to form with a red hibiscus pinned to the side, and her eyes of warm brown stares him down, unmoving. She has fair tanned skin, with freckles mapped across her skin like the stars, and there’s a blank look on her face.

“Roger!? Who is that?!”

She’s holding a wicker basket full of baby turtles in her hand, and they all called out to her with little chirps and squeals.

They both don’t say anything. There’s gentle waves that wash up on the beach behind Roger, and the plain dress flows around her like a halo.

Roger decides then and there that she’s the most beautiful woman he’s ever seen.

She’s the first to move, turning away from him and walking into deeper waters as Crocus splashes his way down to help Roger.

“Who _was_ that lass? I didn’t even see her come up to you!”

“I…” his eyes never move from her majestic figure. He watches her kneel into the water, and her hand reaches into the basket to let each and every baby turtle make their way into the water. She reminds him of a mermaid, soft and kind, eyes warm and full of curiosity. Hair full of silk and skin tough as stone, and heart shaped lips with a voice of an angel. Although, she was staring at him with a look of annoyance...and her hair was nothing but kinks...and her lips were flat, but rose colored...but Roger didn’t care.

The baby turtles swim and paddle around her figure, and her laugh was the most amazing sound he’s ever heard in his lifetime.

“I think I’m in love, Crocus.” there’s a shaky smile coming to his lips, and he gives a soft laughter. “I think, I think I know what it feels like when you have love at first sight.” his hand goes to cover half his face, and he makes a small noise when she twirls around to pick up a turtle, and kisses it softly on its beak.

Crocus stares at the man, and the first thing that comes out of his mouth was: “Either you got a concussion or you’re a fucking fool.”

“No such things as fools.”

“Then you probably got a concussion.”

She walks back when the turtles finally make their way into the sea, and she stands in front of them.

“Who are you?” she asks, and her voice is gritty for someone like her, radiating power that makes them both feel weak.

Roger feels his heart jumping to his throat when he should answer. “Uh.”

“We’re not here to hurt anyone, lass,” Crocus begins slowly, hooking his hands under Roger’s arms to lift him up from the waters, standing with him. “...and, we just happened to stop by at a beautiful island. A little vacation, if you will.”

She looks up to the humongous ship, and squints at the flag waving in the wind.

“Hmm.” She shifts the basket around her waist, and pushes a strand of hair out of her face. “Pirates?”

“...well…” Crocus hesitates, and Roger pushes himself closer to him. He shudders at the wetness of his clothes sticking to him. “Yes.”

“I see. And you are?”

“Me?”

“No, no, the pirate name. “She tilts her head slightly, and Roger is glad Crocus is holding him because he’s quite positive he would have fallen to his knees.

“Guhhh…” Roger’s mind goes into a flatline. All he sees is her. All he can think about is her. This mermaid that could become a siren leading him to his death, and he’d be okay with it. He’d turn to fucking gold just to see a smile from her.

“The Roger Pirates.”

She gives an ungodly snort that shocks both of them, and she covers her face as she snickers behind her hand. “Pft. Sounds pretty lame if you ask me.”

“I’ll have you know, lass--”

“And I’ll have you to know, I do not care.”

Crocus freezes halfway through his remark.

“I came out here to make sure the turtles got to sea. Not to make friends and tell you my life story. That’s my speech.”

The doctor’s mouth falls open in complete shock.

“What’s wrong with your friend?” she asks after a moment, and points to Roger.

Crocus turns to look at his Captain, who’s halfway sliding off his shoulders, and has a goofy smile to his face, face a bright red.

“Concussion.” he rushes out.

She makes a face of confusion at him, and turns to leave. “Through the fields up north, there is a town. You can go to the Beer Taps Bar, and just ask for a room.”

“Er...th-thank you, lass.” Crocus says as she walks away. They both watch her walk along the beach, and wipe the water from her legs.

“Oh, dear Gods, Crocus, her legs, those _legs_ , oh--”

“If you get a boner just from a pair of legs, I’m _dropping_ you.”

**Author's Note:**

> may or may not be continued :/


End file.
